Melissa Oil

Melissa oil calms the nerves and has excellent qualities in fighting depression. Its sedative effect is well documented. It helps in cases of hysteria and panic and helps to slows the heartbeat, eases high blood pressure and is a tonic to the heart while regulating the menstrual cycle, also helping with period pains.

It can settle the digestive system, helps with nausea, flatulence, vomiting, dyspepsia and dysentery and has a cooling effect on fevers. It can help with headaches and migraines associated with colds.When treatment is started in the early stages, it can also be used as a topical treatment for cold sores (herpes simplex). Melissa oil is non-toxic but could cause sensitization and irritation and should always be used in low dilutions. For this reason it should be avoided during pregnancy and by people with a very sensitive skin.

Therapeutic properties

The therapeutic properties of melissa oil are antidepressant, antispasmodic, bactericidal, carminative, cordial, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hypotensive, nervine, sedative, stomachic, sudorific and tonic. Melissa oil is extracted from the fresh flowering tops, leaves and stems by steam distillation and yields 0.01 - 0.02 %.

Chemical composition

The main chemical components are trans-ocimene, cis-ocimene, 3-octanone, methyl hepenone, cis-3-hexenol, 3-octanol, 1-octen-3-ol, copaene, citronellal, linalool, b-bourbonene, caryophyllene, a-humulene, neral, germacrene-D, geranial, geranyl acetate, d-cadinene, y-cadinene, nerol and geraniol.